COMPOSURE   The nervous system controls communication in the body. Its leader is the brain, which allows us to think, decide, control our actions, and coordinate the ability to move, touch, smell, hear, and see. As with any body system, good nutrition plays an important part in seeing that the good health of the nervous system is maintained. AIM Composure™ helps maintain your neuro health, especially in regard to dealing efficiently with stress. Stress Everyone experiences stress. But what triggers it is different in everyone. Personality, genes, and experiences all influence how we deal with stress. Whatever the cause, stress is a factor in many diseases. Stress may aggravate an existing health problem, or trigger an illness if you’re at risk for the condition. Various surveys estimate that stress contributes to 80 percent of major illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, digestive diseases (ulcers, ulcerative colitis), mental disorders, injuries, nervous system and sensory-organ diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, cancers, endocrine and metabolic diseases, skin disorders, and infectious ailments of all kinds. Although we do not completely understand how illness and stress interact, researchers are looking into it. Indeed, the field of psychoneuroimmunology has emerged, which focuses on how the central nervous system and immune system influence each other during stress. Whatever the cause of stress, the body’s physical response to stress is similar to its reaction to a physical threat. Your body reacts to face the “challenge”: A hormone called corticotropin releasing factor stimulates the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). This signals your adrenal gland to release more hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline and cortisol prepare your body to respond to stress. Your heart beats faster, breathing quickens, and blood pressure rises. Blood carrying oxygen and nutrients is redirected to organs that need more energy to function with stress, such as your brain and muscles. Less blood goes to your stomach and skin. Potential energy sources—blood sugar (glucose) and fat—are released into your blood. Fibrin, a chemical that causes blood to clot more easily, is also released, perhaps to slow or stop bleeding in case of injury. Many of these physical changes can hurt your health over a long period of time. Immune system: Cortisol produced during the stress response may suppress your immune system, increasing your susceptibility to infectious diseases. Studies suggest the incidence of bacterial infections such as tuberculosis and group A streptococcal disease increase during stress. Stress may also make you prone to upper respiratory viral infections such as the common cold or flu. Cardiovascular disease: Under acute stress, your heart beats quickly, making you more susceptible to angina (a type of chest pain) and heart rhythm irregularities. When stress persists, increased blood clotting as a result of the stress response can put you at risk for a heart attack or stroke. Other relationships between illness and stress aren’t as clear-cut. But stress may worsen symptoms if you’re prone to certain conditions: Asthma: If you have asthma, a stressful situation can trigger an attack, in which spasms, narrowing of the bronchial passages, and swelling of their mucous lining cause obstruction of breathing. Gastrointestinal problems: Stress can make your symptoms worse if you have a gastrointestinal disorder such as an ulcer or irritable bowel syndrome. To help combat stress, change whatever factors you can. If possible, get out of the stressful situation. If that is not possible, there are a number of things you can do: Exercise regularly: The natural decrease in adrenaline production after exercise may counteract the stress response. People who are physically fit handle stress better. Relax: Techniques such as guided imagery, meditation, muscle relaxation, and relaxed breathing can help you relax. You can also focus on hobbies or activities you find calming. Find a friend: Having friends and family members for support makes dealing with stress easier. Eat a good diet: Be sure you get nutrients that help your adrenal glands, which stimulate the liver to convert glycogen (stored sugar) to glucose. These nutrients include pantothenic acid, vitamin C, and potassium. nutrients that help fight infection that could result when ill or stressed. These nutrients include vitamin C, vitamin E, and potassium. nutrients that help keep the thymus, which produces the T cells that fight disease, from shrinking and working less in times of stress. These nutrients include vitamin A, vitamin C, and zinc. nutrients that are known to help out in times of stress. These include B vitamins and magnesium. AIM Composure™ AIM Composure™ is a special blend of the extracts and whole herbs of eight herbs that work  together to help you in times of stress. You may find yourself more relaxed, and when combined with a healthy diet, experience a healthy sense of well-being. Many of the individual herbs in AIM Composure™ also contain flavonoids. Flavonoids are chemical compounds found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds that often have beneficial effects. Flavonoids have been found to stimulate the immune system, and their ongoing study may contribute to a better understanding of the effects of the environment on our immune system and on the development and control of allergies. How to use AIM Composure™ Take 2 capsules per day. You may take more or less, depending on an assessment of your daily needs. Shelf life is 3 years, unopened. Close tightly after opening and store in a cool, dry, dark place (70-75 °F; 20.1-23.8 °C). Do not refrigerate. Q & A Why do you use herbal extracts and whole herbs? AIM Composure™ formula is made up of four herbal extracts and four whole herbs. For alfalfa, marshmallow root, oat straw, and passionflower, the extracts are spray dried back on to the whole herb and they are ground. For Irish moss, shave grass, yucca, and slippery elm bark, the whole herb is simply ground. Upon research, AIM found these four herbs to be as or more beneficial than extracts in whole herb form. Using both the extraction and spray drying process and whole herbs also means that we use significantly less maltodextrine. AIM uses both extracts and whole herbs for AIM Composure™ because we want to provide the range of relaxing benefits of these herbs without a lofty price. These herbs are also in AIMHerbal Fiberblend™. Why don’t I just take this? AIM Composure™ was created because so many people experienced benefits from the herbs in AIMHerbal Fiberblend™ and asked us to give them the herbs without the fiber. You can, of course, take AIMHerbal Fiberblend® and get some of the herbal effect. Can I take AIM Composure™ with AAIMHerbal Fiberblend™ or other AIM products? Yes, you can take AIM Composure™ with other AIM products. Taking AIM Composure™ with AIMHerbal Fiberblend™ will enhance the herbal benefits of AIM Composure™. Will this product make me sleepy? Some people do experience this effect, while others do not. Do I need to take AIM Composure™ every day? The needs of each individual vary. Some people feel it is useful to take AIM Composure™ only during times of stress. Others use it regularly as part of an overall health program. AIM Composure™ should be used daily during the period of supplementation in which you choose to use it (as opposed to taking it two times per week or whenever you feel like using it). There is no problem with daily use of AIM Composure™ from a safety point of view. Is it better to take AIM Composure™ during the day, or should I only take it at night? Take AIM Composure™ when you feel it is needed. Some people take it during the day to help with stressful situations, and others take it in the evening to help relax. Features AIM Composure™ uses herbal extracts and whole herbs. The extracts are extracted from the whole herb and spray dried back on to them in a special process that uses water, not harmful substances. Then they are ground. The whole herbs are also ground. In this process, there is no need to use maltodextrine as a stabilizer. AIM Composure™ is 100 percent natural. There are no artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives, nor are there any added sugars, salts, yeasts, or fillers. And, the capsule is vegetarian. Following are the individual herbs that make up AIM Composure™. Alfalfa Affects: stomach, blood Alfalfa is one of the green grasses, which are some of the most nutritionally rich foods there are. It is a source of chlorophyll, vitamins, including A, D, E, K, and beta carotene, and minerals, including selenium. It is especially rich in minerals, as it pulls up nutrients from root depths as great as 130 feet. It is also an effective overall tonic used for rebuilding the body after serious or prolonged weakness or illness. Irish Moss Affects: lungs, kidneys, skin Irish moss contains 15 of the 18 elements composing the human body. It contains vitamins A, D, E, and K and is also high in iodine and calcium. Marshmallow Root Affects: intestines, kidneys, bladder Marshmallow root derives its botanical name from the Greek word altho, which means “to heal.” Humbart Santillo, in Natural Healing with Herbs, calls marshmallow root a nutritive. Michael Castleman, in The Healing Herbs, notes that it is a digestive aid. It also has a calming effect on the body. Oatstraw Affects: nerves, uterus, stomach, lungs Research has shown that oat bran, and to a lesser extent oatmeal, may help reduce high blood cholesterol. Oats contain flavonoids, a number of minerals, vitamins B1, B2, D, E, and carotene, as well as wheat protein. It is a natural relaxant. Santillo, in Natural Healing with Herbs, notes that oatstraw is good for the nerves, and Penelope Ody, in The Complete Medicinal Herbal, notes that it may help with depression. Passionflower Affects: nerves, circulation Passionflower was used by Native Americans to soothe the nerves, and it has been used more recently for hyperactivity, insomnia, Parkinson’s disease, and nervous tension. Its constituents maltol, ethyl-maltol, and some flavonoids are potentially sedating, and another constituent, passi-florine, reportedly promotes calmness and ability to sleep. In Europe, passionflower is used in sedative preparations. Shavegrass (Horsetail grass) Affects: kidneys, blood, heart, and lungs Shavegrass is a member of one of the oldest groups of plants on earth. The plant’s success can be attributed to its ability to grow in poor soil with minimum moisture. It has been used both internally and externally since the 16th century, usually as a powder. As an herb, the entire plant is used. It contains flavonoids and minerals. Slippery Elm Bark Affects: whole body Slippery elm bark was used by Native Americans as a skin ointment. It heals burns, wounds, and poison ivy. It also boosts the adrenal glands and respiratory system, and draws out impurities. Castleman, in The Healing Herbs, and Ody, in The Complete Medicinal Herbal, cite the bark as being good for digestion. It neutralizes stomach acids. Yucca Affects: blood The yucca is a cactus-like succulent common to the western United Sates and most of Mexico. It helps reduce inflammation and pain in joints. Native Americans have used it for centuries as a soap. Shampoo made from the root helps with dandruff and scalp conditions. Suggested Reading Castleman, Michael. The Healing Herbs. Emmaus, PA: The Rodale Press, 1991. HerbalGram. Quarterly magazine available from the Herb Research Foundation. Up-to-date science and research on herbs. Phone: 512-331-8868. Fax: 512- 331-1924. Lust, John. The Herb Book. New York: Bantam Books, 1974. Ody, Penelope. The Complete Medicinal Herbal. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 1993. Santillo, Humbart, N.D. Natural Healing with Herbs. 10th ed. Prescott, AZ: The Hohm Press, 1993. Websites http://www.herbs.org/ (Herb Research Foundation) www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/mgmh.html (A Modern Herbal) Benefits & Features Benefits Helps maintain neuro health Increases relaxation Features More than ten years of safe and beneficial use by AIM Members 200 mg of herbal extracts per capsule 200 mg of whole herbs per capsule Economical and convenient 60-count capsules Veggie capsule AIM Composure™ is a Neuro Health product. The complete Neuro Health line consists of AIM Composure™ and AIM GinkgoSense™. Use these products to help maintain neuro health.